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Book Review & Contest Insights from Real Reviews and Submissions
What separates great books from the rest? Below are articles with insights from real reviews and contest submissions—what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve your book. You’ll also find a wide range of articles covering writing, publishing, marketing, and more. Each article has a Comments section so you can read advice from other authors and leave your own.
Why Some Books Win Awards (And Most Don’t) — Insights From Real Contest Submissions New!
What separates award-winning books from the rest? After evaluating contest submissions across a wide range of genres, certain patterns become clear. Some books consistently rise to the top. Others, even with strong ideas and clear effort behind them, fall short. The difference is rarely dramatic—it...
What We’ve Learned From Reviewing Hundreds of Thousands of Books (And Why Most Don’t Stand Out) New!
After reviewing and evaluating books across thousands of submissions over the past two decades, certain patterns become impossible to ignore. Some books immediately stand out to reviewers. Others—even well-intentioned ones—fade into the middle or fall short. The difference is rarely luck. It comes down to...
How to Boost Your Writing Output While Working Full-Time
The dream life of a writer is to dedicate all their time to writing and have no other regrets or responsibilities to make them feel guilty. Alas, this is not easily achievable, hence which is why most authors work full-time jobs as well as find precious time to dedicate to their craft. The struggle is real for these authors as they try to find a balance between work, family and their craft. While most experienced and recognized authors have the liberty to devote leisurely time to their writing, debut authors don’t have this luxury.
It is hard, but dedicating time to your writing and working full-time is possible. Here are some tips and tricks that will help you boost your productivity and maximize your time dedicated to your craft while also doing your best in your full-time job.
Utilize Your Time Well
The best way to add to your writing time is to utilize your time the best way possible. So you should find a way to work on your ideas and your writing while commuting, while cooking, or even when you are getting ready for work. Use that time to flesh out your characters, develop your scenes, think of plot points, create dialogues and even consider what you are going to do with the conflict. Of course, you can also utilize that time to think about how you can make your work better or if it is best the way it is.
Your Break Times Are Best For Your Writing
Sprint writing is something that many authors are doing these days. They just sit down and write down as much as they can in the smallest possible time. You can take out thirty minutes from your allotted time for a break and use it for your sprint writing. Get as many words down as possible and then take them home and edit them later. You will actually get some time away from your work, give yourself a mental break and see your writing from a new perspective.
Take Help from Technology
Some authors prefer to use their pen and paper to jot down their stories, while some prefer their laptop over everything else. The best way to dedicate a sizable chunk of time to your craft is by using your technology but minus the internet access. Some authors prefer to just take notes by recording voice notes on their phones or a dedicated recorder. They simply have their notes transferred to their laptops and they take it from there.
While all of the above-mentioned tips and tricks will work wonders for you, nothing will actually be useful for you if you don’t take yourself and your craft seriously. You need to be dedicated to your craft and your writing; love it enough to make time for it. Your time is precious and if you feel like less of a writer because you work full-time as well, make sure that you spend your time on your craft in the best way possible. Be proud of yourself, your craft and your ability to manage your life. You are doing something that you love, so appreciate it because not everyone gets to do what you do.
Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Rabia Tanveer